My blog provides alternative view on Kashmir dispute and politics of South Asia, especially India Pakistan relations. It aims to educate people that they can make informed judgements.

Wednesday, 14 March 2018

Press statement by Dr Shabir Choudhry on joining United Kashmir Peoples National Party

Press statement by Dr Shabir Choudhry on joining United Kashmir Peoples National Party

Geneva14 March 2018

Members of Press, friends and colleagues Aslamo alaikam and good
evening. Thank you for coming here on such a short notice.

I started my political struggle as a teenager in 1973, and helped to set
up Kashmir Youth Movement to advance the cause of Jammu and Kashmir. We did our
work according to our experience and knowledge of that time.

Later on, Mr Amanullah Khan, Abdul Khaliq Ansari and Masoom Ansari came
to visit me in Halifax, England in 1976; and suggested that we should work
together as a team instead of working in small groups.

It was decided that we should set up a new political party to advance
the cause of an independent Jammu and Kashmir. In 1977, the JKLF was
established with efforts of some other colleagues.

In other words, the JKLF did not give ideology of an independent Jammu
and Kashmir to me; as I started working for the cause of an independent Kashmir
in 1973; and helped to set up the JKLF in 1977. I was among the founders of the
JKLF, and held various senior posts, including the posts of Secretary General
and President in Britain.

After developing some ideological difference with the senior leadership
of the JKLF, we started to work separately. In 2007, I and my other colleagues
set up a new political party with the name of Kashmir National Party.

In November 2016, I resigned from the KNP and set up a Think Tank
called, South Asia Watch, London.

Some years ago, because of the ideological affinity a few rounds of
talks were held to merge the KNP and United Kashmir Peoples National Party.
Somehow it did not materialise.

After leaving the KNP, some parties and splinter groups and disgruntled
members of some parties asked me to join them or set up a new party to lead
them. The UKPNP leaders also contacted me to join their ranks. I had an option
of either joining one of the parties; or set up my own party that I can also
become a Chairman of a political party. There are many small Kashmiri parties,
which more or less, believe in the same ideology but do not unite, mainly
because there can only be one Chairman.

I find the UKPNP closer to my political ideology and strategies to
advance the cause of united and independent Jammu and Kashmir with a
democratic, liberal and secular society.

Apart from that, I have close friendly and working relations with Sardar
Shaukat Kashmiri and other leaders of the UKPNP. I understand, the UKPNP has a
better clarity of political issues and challenges facing people of the divided
Jammu and Kashmir.

The UKPNP, despite many hurdles created by those who dislike its
ideology and mission, has moved forward under the leadership of its Chairman,
Sardar Shaukat Kashmiri.

Political party is a vehicle to advance a political programme. I thought
there was no need to reinvent a wheel again. In my view, it is better to
support the UKPNP, rather than setting up a small party of my own.

With this background, I declare that I am unconditionally; and without
any pressure or any ambition, joining the UKPNP. I hope together as a team; we
will be in a better position to advance the cause of united and independent
Jammu and Kashmir; and promote peace and stability in the South Asia. Thank you
very much for being here. END

About Me

Dr Shabir Choudhry has done extensive research on the issue of Kashmir and Indo Pakistan relations. He passed BA Honours in Politics and History, and Mphil in International Relations (title of the thesis, ‘Kashmir and Partition of India’); and title of his PhD thesis is ‘Kashmir- An issue of a nation not a dispute of a land’.

Apart from this Dr Shabir Choudhry passed Post Graduates Certificates in Education, and NVQ Assessor’s qualifications; and taught English in London.

Political Achievements

Founder member of JKLF (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front established in 1977) and got elected as a Press Secretary in 1984.

Became its Secretary General in 1985, and resigned from this post in 1996.

Got elected President of JKLF and Europe in May 1999, and decided not to contest in elections of July 2001.

Said good - bye to the JKLF as it is in many groups and is largely seen as advancing a Pakistani agenda on Kashmir dispute, and set up a new party Kashmir National Party in May 2008.

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At present, he is:

·Spokesman Kashmir National Party and Director Diplomatic Committee;

·Spokesman for International KashmirAlliance;

·Founder member and Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs;

Previously

·A founder Member and Trustee/ Director of London based registered charity, Kashmir Foundation International and resigned from this position in August 2001.

·Regularly take part in the Sessions of the UN Human Rights (Commission) now Council in Geneva; and address various conferences and seminars to oppose violence and highlight the Kashmir cause.

·Participated in a Round Table Conference on Kashmir, organised by Socialist Group of European Parliament in Brussels in 1993.

·Addressed as a Chief Guest in a seminar on issue of Mangla Dam during the UN Sub Commission’s proceedings in August 2003.

·Addressed as a key - note speaker in a seminar on the issue of Gilgit and Baltistan, organised by Association of British Kashmiris.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker on human rights conference in Paris in 1991.

·Addressed at CambridgeUniversity as a Chief Guest in a conference on Kashmir in 1990.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker at New Delhi conference on Kashmir, which was part of Track Two diplomacy in November 2000.

·In September 2008, addressed a Conference arranged by Interfaith International in Geneva, topic of which was:“Kashmir Issue, Terrorism and Human Rights”.

·Addressed as a speaker in a NGO Conference on Self - Determination in Geneva in August 2000.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker in a fringe meeting of Liberal Democrats at their Annual Conference in Brighton in 1995.

·Participated in World Human Rights Conference in Vienna in 1993.

·Before President Clinton's visit to India and Pakistan in 2000, lead a JKLF delegation to the State Department to discuss Kashmir dispute and situation in South Asia.

·Also had two rounds of meetings with senior State Department officials before President Musharraf’s meeting to Washington in June 2003.

·Apart from that had meetings with senior officials including Ministers of different countries, and also held many meetings with the State Department and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on number of occasions.

·Played important role in advancing a Kashmiri perspective on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir; and also helped Baroness Emma Nicholson with her report ‘Kashmir: present situation and future prospects’, which was adopted by the European Parliament in May 2007.

·Won first prize in an essay competition in Urdu in 1976. It was organised by High Commission of Pakistan in London, and title of the essay was 'Qaaid-e- Azam's role in Islamic History'.

·Apart from that have addressed conferences in Brussels, Geneva, Toronto, Islamabad, Delhi, and

Publications

·Got first Urdu novel ‘Fareena’ published at the age of eighteen.

·Second Urdu novel ‘Bay-Khataa’ which was about the problems of Asian youths living in UK published in 1983.

·Third Urdu book ‘Pakistan and Kashmiri struggle for independence’ published in 1990.

·Fourth Urdu book is also on Kashmiri struggle, 'Is an independent Kashmir a conspiracy?'

·Apart from that has twenty books and booklets published in English on various aspects of the Kashmiri struggle.

·Recent publications are: Kashmir dispute as I see it

·Different perspective on Kashmir

·JKLF visit to Pakistan Administered Kashmir

·Kashmir Needs Change of Heart

·If not self - determination then what?

·Emma Nicholson report- who has won?

·Struggle for independence, Jihad or proxy war (Introduction by Baroness Emma Nicholson)

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Future publications

Following books were completed some time ago and shall be published in near future:

In Search of Freedom - My visit to Srinagar and Islamabad

Kashmir and Partition of India

A brief background

Dr Shabir Choudhry was born in a small village called Nakker Shimali (near Panjeri) in District Bhimber, Azad Kashmir. He went to UK in 1966, and like other people from the region, holds a dual nationality. He left secondary school in 1970 with no qualifications and began his life as a textile worker.

In 1975 he started part time studies and passed Matriculation from Government High School Panjeri, passed ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels from UK, and resumed full time degree course in 1981, and passed BA (Hons) in Politics and History in 1984.

He continued full time and part time jobs until he got his Mphil. He passed his PGCE (Post Graduates Certificate in Education) in 1990, and then started full time job as a Lecturer. Due to health problems he resigned from teaching in 1999. At present he is self - employed, provides private tuition, translation and interpretation and consultancy.

Through out his adult life he has actively worked for the cause of Kashmir, and even during long illness he effectively carried out his responsibilities as a leader of the JKLF, a ‘prolific writer’ and consistent campaigner of Rights Movement and peace in Jammu and Kashmir and South Asia.